A spate of 'reckless and irresponsible” arson attempts on reserve bushland along the Waikareao Estuary is leaving Tauranga City Council to foot a $2500 re-planting and ecological bill.

Two separate sections of bush along the 9km loop track edging Tauranga's Harbour were set alight, destroying various native plants and natural habitats, at the weekend.

TCC will have to pay more than $2000 to replant areas of the boardwalk destroyed by fire.

On Friday night the Tauranga Fire Brigade was called to the fire at the bushes near the Daisy Hardwick boardwalk.

At the time Tauranga Brigade Senior Station Officer Mark Keller said someone set fire to the pampas bush, which damaged part of the boardwalk.

Then on Sunday night there was another suspicious fire along the Waikareao Estuary. Read more here.

Tauranga City Council harbour and environmental coordinator Craig Fea is extremely concerned with the spate of deliberate fires in what is an important area of the city's parks and reserves.

'We are deeply concerned about this kind of reckless and irresponsible act. These kinds of criminal acts can result in substantial loss and damage in ecological areas,” says Craig.

Of the two blazes, the ecological damage sustained during Sunday's fire is far more considerable.

The first fire only burnt through a section of pampas bush, singeing part of the boardwalk in the process, while Sunday's fire reached about 200 square metres and burned for about an hour.

Firefighters were able to douse the fire by drawing water from the harbour using a portable pump, to stop the fire reaching nearby houses about 50 metres away.

As a result marsh ribbonwood, manuka, raupo and a pohutukawa were all destroyed in the large section. There was also some damage to basic bird and insect habitats, including nursery web spiders nesting there.

Craig says the main concern is the manuka, as it is one of the few native species holding 'quite flammable” properties.

After inspecting the charred areas, Craig says council will now look to begin re-planting and re-developing the two areas in the coming weeks.

'What we would be looking to do first of all is remove and cut down standing burnt vegetation and we would be looking to do some basic planting and some replacement planting in there.

'All of that work together would probably be around $2500.”

Anybody with any information on the fires can contact Tauranga City Council on 07 577 7000 or Tauranga Police on 07 577 4300.